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blunder1983
Joined: 26 Jan 2005
Posts: 26
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 Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 11:55 pm Post subject: JET |
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Hi guys,
I'm sure these questions are asked millions of times so sorry for clogging up your boards.
I'm currently working in Korea for EPIK. Its a pretty nice job the school is good and although the location sucks I'm only teaching 3 45min lessons a day and the kids and teachers are really great. I'm here for a LONG time yet (10months) but I already know two things.
1. I really enjoy this job/lifestyle
2. I am not too fussed about renewing in Korea (wanna see more of the world)
So I'm looking into the JET programme, ideally middle school which is what I'm teaching now.
When I apply my hiring points will be:
BSc Econ & Mgmt Science (so just a degree :S)
Trinty TESOL qualification
1 year in the EPIK programme
So first up, with this stuff will I be able to get a job? Ideally starting in 2006 after May (Does the school year start in September?)
Also will I be able to save anything when I get to Japan? (I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" type question, but I tend to spend less than $10 a day in the week and then $50 on the weekend in Korea)
Is it advisable to go to Japan and attempt to organise the job there or do it all electronically? I'm REALLY close to Japan here so its not a big issue.
Finally, what "style" of lesson does JET look for? In my school in EPIK I am allowed to teach anything to the kids, follow no book and am basically given free range here. I'm curious does that differ in JET, or is it a school to school thing?
Thanks, and sorry again for asking questions which are undoubtedly asked every day of the year!
Chris |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:46 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
When I apply my hiring points will be:
BSc Econ & Mgmt Science (so just a degree :S)
Trinty TESOL qualification
1 year in the EPIK programme
So first up, with this stuff will I be able to get a job? Ideally starting in 2006 after May (Does the school year start in September?) |
JET takes applications at the end of the calendar year, interviews in February, and sends its successful interviewees to Japan in July/August. If you are interested in other types of teaching work, bear in mind that mainstream school years begin in April, so the biggest surge in hiring takes place in March (although you will also see ads from now to September for an April start date). Eikaiwas hire year round, but they have their backlogs and special start dates, too.
Will you be ABLE to get a job? You are definitely qualified. Perhaps more so than most, however with no teaching experience in Japan, you are probably not eligible for more than the bottom rung of the teaching ladder -- entry level eikaiwa or JET.
WILL you get a job? That all depends on what your resume and cover letter look like, when you plan to start work, and how you interview.
| Quote: |
| Also will I be able to save anything when I get to Japan? (I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" type question, but I tend to spend less than $10 a day in the week and then $50 on the weekend in Korea) |
How do you know you can spend the equivalent to that much money here? Look at www.pricechecktokyo.com for a hint at prices over here. How much you can save depends on what you make, what your rent is, and what your lifestyle is. Figure on half of an eikaiwa salary going to basic necessities (rent, utilities, insurance, food, phone), so you would have 125,000 yen/month left over for everything else in life. Eat heartily and you will burn more than this. Go out a couple times a week and drink moderately, and you will spend 50,000 yen per month easily, leaving you with 70,000 yen to spend on gifts, souvenirs, stamps, clothing, batteries, film and processing, sightseeing (if you have time), emergency medical costs not covered under insurance, student loans and mortgage payments back home, long distance phone calls, cable TV, video rentals, and other forms of entertainment.
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| Is it advisable to go to Japan and attempt to organise the job there or do it all electronically? I'm REALLY close to Japan here so its not a big issue. |
Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and A bombs, as they say. If you aren't physically here, how can anyone interview you? The best you could do is promise to be in a given city on a given date and hope for the best. That's not to say you shouldn't email your applications. Just be aware that nobody recruits from Korea, and you will probably have to come here for an interview. See it from the employer's side and plan on it.
As for JET, they take applications from within Japan, or from your home country, but interviews are ONLY granted in your home country.
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| Finally, what "style" of lesson does JET look for? In my school in EPIK I am allowed to teach anything to the kids, follow no book and am basically given free range here. I'm curious does that differ in JET, or is it a school to school thing? |
As a JET ALT, you assist. Not many ALTs are in charge of their own classes or lesson planning. You follow the lead from the Japanese teacher that you assist. Many ALTs complain of being a mere human tape recorder. Look at www.bigdaikon.com and the many links to discussion groups for talks with JET ALTs. I suspect you'll find that lesson plans either follow a strict textbook grammar point with zero to much planning involvement from the ALt to reinforce it with oral communication activities. |
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blunder1983
Joined: 26 Jan 2005
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:20 am Post subject: |
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Hmm its something I'm very interested in I'd like the experience of a few different countries before I pick one to stay in 
I'm a bit concerned now on the application process.
I'm in Korea till may and I can't leave anytime before then. Does this scupper my chances of JET????? I will not be able to attend interviews in England until my contract ends, and by the time I return home I want to know that I'm going to be in another job.
Anyone know if its possible to have the application etc. done in Korea? My references are excellent and my CV got me a job here pretty effortlessly so I'm guessing I'll be ok on that front.
As for the lack of creativity, I'm sure I can inject it in somewhere. I've starting forming an English Library for the kids in my current school which is proving fantastically successful (my co-teachers don't know where the enthusiasm is coming from!) and starting next term I'm hoping to have an after school class for a little extra cash.
One FINAL question, can you teach privates in Japan if you want? Its illegal here and i'm curious as to what the practice across the East sea (I mean the Sea of Japan  )
Thanks again
Chris |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:53 am Post subject: |
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| I'm in Korea till may and I can't leave anytime before then. Does this scupper my chances of JET????? I will not be able to attend interviews in England until my contract ends, and by the time I return home I want to know that I'm going to be in another job. |
JET ALTs for 2005-06 have already been selected.
Applications for the 2006-07 year will be available at the end of 2005, usually somewhere between September and November. Deadline for having them in is December. If you pass this stage, you will be asked to attend an interview in your home country sometime in February, 2006. You probably won't be notified of your acceptance until May, 2006. And, there is always the possibility that you get on the "waiting list" for alternates, which means you have to wait even longer before you know if you are accepted.
Re: private lessons
Teach them all you want, but you'd better have a proper visa to accept money for work. And, beware of doing this on the JET work visa because it is prohibited (although I'm sure some ALTs do it). Being placed in a small rural town makes you very conspicuous, so even though you might do it secretly, many people will know. |
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CanKorea
Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 17
Location: Currently in Canada
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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I think the major thing is the interview. I applied to JET for this year but didn't get in. I had prior ESL teaching experience in China and Korea and I have a teaching degree from Canada. So while the resume can look great it isn't everything.
Show some genuine interest in Japan. I think this is where I went wrong. As per the interviews, they HAVE to be in your home country and they take place in February. If you can't make it, they won't interview you. JET is pretty inflexible on this point as far as I can understand. |
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van-island
Joined: 01 Jul 2005
Posts: 18
Location: deep in the Japanese countryside
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 4:06 am Post subject: Re: JET |
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| blunder1983 wrote: |
Also will I be able to save anything when I get to Japan? (I know this is a "how long is a piece of string" type question, but I tend to spend less than $10 a day in the week and then $50 on the weekend in Korea)
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I saved $20,000 CDN this year on JET without difficulty. Looking to up the ante next year... no set up costs! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:08 am Post subject: |
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| I saved $20,000 CDN this year on JET without difficulty. |
From a monthly salary of 300,000 you managed to tuck away 183,333 yen per month. Not inconceivable, but it would behoove you to explain a little just how you did that. I assume for one thing that you had a major portion of your rent paid for and you didn't do much sightseeing. |
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stretch
Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 10:36 am Post subject: $20,000 is doable |
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I saved around $15K CDN with paying for both myself and my wife. Bear in mind, my rent and car were totally covered and I lived in "dou inaka" land. (very very very rural- on top of a mountain at 1500m in a ridiculously small village) ie. I had to try to spend money. The BOE also gave me a couple of eikaiwa classes to teahc. (Around 5 man a month cash - 60 man a year) We also travelled quite a bit while we were there, all over Japan and a 3 week stint in Thailand.
So in a similar situation a single person could easily save 20K if they tightened their belt a bit and stayed away from the izakayas. |
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